


To Dance on Air

by astudyinfic



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Dancing, Fluff, I don't care how unrealistic it is, Love at First Sight, M/M, Romance, Shadow World, Universe Alteration, literally they fall in love when their eyes meet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 09:22:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15816051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: Their eyes meet across a crowded room and from one instant to the next, they are in love.Magnus and Alec share the first dance of the rest of their lives.





	To Dance on Air

Their eyes met from across the room and for a moment, the world stood still.  The rest of the crowd faded away until there was only them. Only the sole warlock at the gala and the Head of the Institute hosting it.

The Clave’s Christmas Ball was the event of the year and while any Shadowhunter around the world was invited, only one representative from each of the Downworld races was allowed to attend.  This year, being hosted in New York, the head’s of the local groups were the chosen attendees. Alec Lightwood never met any of them, despite being the Head of the Institute. Shadowhunters didn’t spend time with the Downworld.  Simply sent vaguely threatening fire messages and left it at that.

That was his excuse for having never seen the man before.  Because Alec knew that if he’d ever laid eyes on him before, he would remember it.  Never before had anyone so beautiful walked the halls of his Institute and he knew no one who came after him would ever compare.  

His feet carried him away from a conversation whose point he lost track of long ago, mind and heart set on the singular target across the room.  Distantly he heard the Clave official mumble something about his audacity but he didn’t matter. No one did except for the beautiful man who had betwixt him, heart and soul.

* * *

 

Magnus Bane never thought he would be invited to one of these parties.  The Clave hated him too much to ever allow him inside the hallowed walls of their Institute.  But traditions being what they were, a warlock needed to attend and as it was hosted in his city, Magnus was the logical choice.  He held no illusions that he was wanted there, or that the others with him - Luke, Raphael, or Meliorn - felt welcomed either.  The four huddled together in one corner, dressed to impress but with no one willing to go out of their way to even look in their direction, there was no point to any of them being there, except to allow the Clave to pat themselves on the back for being so inclusive and forward thinking.

Two minutes away from portalling them all back to his loft for drinks and dinner without the overpowering sense of self-satisfaction from everyone around them, Magnus’s eyes locked on a man across the room and everything stopped.  Clearly a Shadowhunter, Magnus would normally have looked away without a second thought but every molecule in his body was drawn to be closer to the man, to know him inside and out, to love him as long as they both shall live.

If Ragnor was there he would have complained about Magnus’s tendency for the dramatic but even during his most ostentatious relationships, it never felt like this.  

He didn’t know it could feel like this.

Raphael was talking and glared at his back as Magnus walked away, mid-sentence, eyes never leaving that of the other man.  Step after step, past narrowed eyes and barely concealed insults. The opinions of these small minded people didn’t matter.  They were hardly his concern, particularly not when faced with the beauty in front of him. Like a moth to a flame, Magnus was drawn to the Shadowhunter walking towards him.  He might end up burned but what a sweet death it would be.

* * *

 

The two circled the room, dodging those who wished to talk to them for whatever reasons they might have.  Whoever they were, whatever they wanted, it paled in comparison to what was right in front of them. Finally, _finally_ , after too many steps, they each came to a stop mere inches from one another.  “Hi,” Alec whispered, breathless just from Magnus’s presence. “I’m Alec.”

“Magnus.”  Extending his hand, Magnus only waited a moment before Alec laced their fingers together, forgoing the formalities entirely.  A smile spread across Magnus’s face because why would they shake hands? This was not a business arrangement, this was deeper, more personal.  Something felt at a near spiritual level.

Because the angel smiled upon them both at that moment, the music began to play again and Magnus was already leading Alec to the center of the room when he asked,  “May I have this dance?”

A handful of people were dancing, mostly swaying to the tune and talking quietly with the one they were with.  While heads turned in their direction, most people thought nothing of it. The few that recognized Magnus raised an eyebrow at the unusual pairing but most of them couldn’t care less about who was dancing with whom at this party.  It was a publicity stunt, nothing more, like everything else that involved the Downworld representatives.

And Magnus would have agreed up until five minutes prior.  Now? Now he wasn’t sure what to think of anything except for the fact that Alec fits in his arms like he belonged there and Magnus never wanted to let him go.

“Mind if I lead?” Magnus asked, surprised at the roughness of his voice.  Desire dripped from every syllable. Despite his long life and longer list of past lovers, Magnus couldn’t remember a time where he wanted, _needed_ , someone so much.

Thankfully, it seemed, Alec felt the same way.  He gave a nod and stepped into Magnus’s personal space.  One of Alec’s hands on his shoulder the other in his hand, Magnus locked eyes with his partner and a moment later pushed them into motion.  

* * *

 

Alec knew how to dance.  Most Shadowhunters from the more prominent families were taught while they were still children. It was considered a vital diplomatic skill and was often used when courting a future spouse.  It was old-fashioned, outdated and frankly, embarrassing if anyone asked Alec. He’d hated the hours spent dancing with Izzy and Aline, Jace there as well as the four of them struggled to master the steps that were guaranteed to find them a husband or wife someday.  

Alec stopped practicing after he came out to his parents and made it clear that no woman would ever capture his heart.

Now, he wished he kept it up.  

Magnus danced like a dream, guiding him effortlessly through steps Alec’s body remembered while his mind hurried to catch up.

1-2-3

1-2-3

While the other couples around them mostly swayed without moving their feet, Magnus and Alec dominated the dance floor, weaving between the more stationary pairs.  One by one, they all left the dance floor until only Magnus and Alec remained. Most of the eyes in the room followed them with laser-like focus. Yet, Alec didn’t notice and if Magnus did, he made no sign of it.  Instead, their eyes remained locked on each other, neither looking down. Neither looking away.

1-2-3

1-2-3

Alec counted the steps in his head, providing a steady rhythm for him until those too faded away.  With Magnus leading, there was no need to count. The two of them flowed from one step to the next and for once in his life, Alec just lets go, let his body do what it thought was right.  He trusted the other completely, implicitly, without exchanging anything but their names and an agreement to dance.

The music flowed one song into the next, and there was not one small hitch in their steps as they slowed, the dance becoming more personal, more private.  Even in a room full of hundreds of people, all eyes on them, it was only Magnus and Alec.

With the slower movements, they carried on a conversation with their eyes, small smiles, and bashful grins.  

_Can we keep dancing all night?_

_Of course._

_Can we keep dancing forever?_

_Whatever you wish._

_Can I keep you forever?_

_I’m already yours._

* * *

 

They knew nothing about one another aside from their names and how their bodies moved to the music.  And yet, Magnus knew him. How, he wasn’t sure. Magnus didn’t believe in soul mates, having written those off as a fairy tale long ago.  It didn’t seem likely that there was one perfect person out there, one person who would be with him and love him from the moment they met.

And yet.  

And yet.

Magnus didn’t know how but he knew Alec.  He knew him to the very depths of his heart and he wouldn’t let him go.  He couldn’t let him go. Even if the man was a Shadowhunter and raised to despise everything about Magnus, even if both of their societies would look down on every minute of their relationship, Magnus couldn’t let him go.  

The music crescendoed and Magnus took the chance, spinning Alec backward and dipping him in his arms.  Alec’s hands darted to the back of Magnus’s neck to steady himself from what had to feel like falling.  Instead, it only succeeded in pulling Magnus’s face closer to his own.

More words passed between them, silent but louder than any other sound in the room.  

_May I?_

_Please._

Their lips met, soft and tentative, barely a brush of their mouths but it was enough.  Electricity shot through Magnus, the proverbial lightning striking. Shocked, Magnus opened his eyes to see the astonished look on his partner’s face.  They stared for a moment before coming back together, passionate and needy, trying to pull one another closer even as Magnus held Alec back in that unnatural position.  

Only when they stood back up, still clinging tightly to one another did they notice the unnatural silence in the room.  The music had stopped, along with all the chatter and every pair of eyes was focused entirely on them.

“I’m all for parties,” Magnus whispered as they turned to meet the stares of the other guests, “but what do you say we get out of here.”

Alec glanced around and nodded, “Yes.”

* * *

 

Magnus laced his fingers with Alec’s and the two walked towards the front doors, their footfalls echoing in the silent room.  At the doors, Alec stopped, pulling Magnus closer. “I... I think I’m in love with you. Is that strange?”

“No, say what you feel,” Magnus responded with a soft kiss.  “And for what it is worth, I think I’m in love with you too.”

With a flourish of his arm, Magnus opened a portal where the front door stood.  Hand in hand, they stepped through together, ready to continue their dance somewhere more private.  Somewhere just for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on tumblr at [brooklynxmagic](http://brooklynxmagic.tumblr.com) or [astudyinfic](http://astudyinfic.tumblr.com). Or twitter at [astudyinfic](http://twitter.com/astudyinfic).


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